[StillwaterTownie]

Originally Posted by HeatherDawn

I have always thought that was kind of a rough town but I've never lived there.

Well, it's the image. It is a prison town with signs up saying to not pick up hitch hikers. They might be escaped prisoners.

[debbie at bouontiful]

If you go across the street from Big Mac and look around in that area, you will find family of prisoners living in that area. That partically scares me but I shouldn't. Just because one member of the family is locked up doesn't mean the rest should be. The prison owns a lot of property and they have a museum out front with "Sparky", I personally never went to see it. How exciting could an electric chair be!!!

would you believe our wonderful rep. Terry Harrison (I would never vote for that guy) is trying to get some of the Gitmo terrorist here. Is he insane or what?????

[yella09]

I just moved here and I find the people to be friendly and the one's who aren't, are having a bad day just like we humans do, but a smile and something funny to say usually brings them out of it, the old saying 'kill em with kindness' usually works wonders. I love being so close to the lake, we've explored different areas of the lake on the weekends and still haven't seen it all. I too have heard about the Italian places being high priced, but then I heard that was to keep the 'riff raff' out. They are defiantly about the special occasion dinner.

[Cherokee Moon]

I like GiaComo's much better than Pete's. And yep, they are special occation restaurants.

GiaComo's Italian Cuisine - Home

[jaxsonvillewat]

i grew up in McAlester. i no longer live there but it is a crack town. my mom died of an od there my brother is now in jail which is completely there faults but there are some pretty sketch people in McAlester. its a very unsafe place. i was there about a year ago and its gone to crap slowly but surely. i was born there and lived there untill i was about fifteen and i do miss it but i know me getinng out of the was the best that could have happened. when i went back the place is changed i love oklahoma but i hate it to!

[_redbird_]

[quote=debbie at bouontiful;8428655]
If you go across the street from Big Mac and look around in that area, you will find family of prisoners living in that area. That partically scares me but I shouldn't. Just because one member of the family is locked up doesn't mean the rest should be. The prison owns a lot of property and they have a museum out front with "Sparky", I personally never went to see it. How exciting could an electric chair be!!! [quote]

If that scares you, you might want to get some popcorn for this! OK has approximately 24K inmates locked up and approximately 30K on probation or parole. And most of them have family members!



I have seen a lot of family members at visitation and at Parole hearings. I think you should realize not all family members are Jerry Springer-type folks. I have personally met a LOT of family members and they are just as good a people as you could meet. It's not their fault their sons and daughters choose to behave like idiots.

Source: http://www.doc.state.ok.us/newsroom/...rch%202009.pdf



I have been to the OSP museum and I thought it was great. But then, I have always like museums in general.

Yes, ol' Sparky is a part of Oklahoma history.

[allendmaxey]

I'm an early 20's guy with a family and I've lived here about 7 years now, as for it being a crack town...yea it has a couple "hot spots" but compared to Hartshorne it's noting more than an average town. I've never felt unsafe out walking at night, I live less than a half mile from the prison and it doesn't bother me. I haven't seen these "don't pick up hitch hikers" signs though...and I drive by the prison occasionally and never had a fear. The inmates (trustee type) do get out to pick up garbage and stuff, but I'm pretty sure OSP wouldn't allow raging murders out in the public, come on now. Lake Eufaula is awesome, boating, fishing, camping and all kinds of things to do out there. They have some parades and stuff around holidays, the Expo center is right to the West of town, there are a few parks/playgrounds, pools and community centers and quite a few places to eat (that aren't fast food), I like Carla's on Wyandotte as well as What About Bobs, those are some good home cookin' places. As for Italian restaurants... not such a big fan. Some good Mexican food around here though. Well, I've jabbered enough! Hope this helps a little.

[KatTracy]

We live in Charlotte now but are hoping to retire to the area. We pull into the Army Depot in McAlester alot but are thinking more down toward Pushmataha county cuz we want to be in the woods and away from people in general. We've been locked up together in a truck too long...we're really quite social folks with some very definite ideas about what's happening to our country and what we need to do to survive it all. Any suggestions as to what might be a better area near Sardis Lake and the Kiamichi?

[debbie at bouontiful]

I live 30 minutes out of McAlester and it is very rural. My relatives call it remote. I too love not having neighbors. I know of an off the grid beautiful cabin in the Kiamichi mountains on 100 acres. Probably sold by now but that is more than remote if your in to total self-sufficient. The Kiamichi area is beautiful so is Saris Lake.

[KatTracy]

Originally Posted by debbie at bouontiful

I live 30 minutes out of McAlester and it is very rural. My relatives call it remote. I too love not having neighbors. I know of an off the grid beautiful cabin in the Kiamichi mountains on 100 acres. Probably sold by now but that is more than remote if your in to total self-sufficient. The Kiamichi area is beautiful so is Saris Lake.

We want to go underground on three sides with the southern side having big windows for passive annual heat storage (PAHS). We've done alot of research on this and have big dreams but have to wait for our son to finish college so we can sell our house in Charlotte. He has 4 semesters left so spring 2011 he should be able to stand on his own. Just beginning to look right now so we'll know what we're up against as far as cost of land. Thanks for your reply!